imagine," said Dick, "why you think such a lot of those
wretched old gloves. They seem to have got you into quite enough trouble
already."

"They look so respectable," explained the Dodo, "and give one such an
air. You have _never_ before seen a bird wearing gloves, now, have you?"
he added, appealing to the company generally, who were obliged to
flatter his vanity by confessing that they never had.

Dick, however, in a spirit of pure mischief, decided to play him a
trick. So, when the Dodo, having put on one glove, strutted away to show
off before the Archaeopteryx, leaving the other one behind him, Dick
quickly picked it up and put it on himself, then calling to aid the
power which the Panjandrum's Ambassador had given him of being able to
make himself whatever size he wished, he cried, "I wish to be as big as
the biggest giant that ever lived," and immediately became so tall that
the Palaeotherium and the Eteraedarium, who were standing near, fled in
dismay, while Marjorie and Fidge looked up with the greatest of
admiration to their now big--big brother.

Dick then telling them, in a voice that sounded like thunder, to stand
aside, took off the glove, which had, of course, grown with him, and
threw it on to the ground, where it lay a huge mass of coarse leather as
many _feet_ long as it had formerly been _inches_, and with buttons
almost as big as dinner plates.

It was, of course, the easiest matter imaginable for Dick to reduce
himself to his proper size again, while the glove remained as it was,
and this he very quickly did, to the evident relief of the poor
Palaeotherium and the Eteraedarium, who had been trembling and quaking
behind a clump of trees, and looking with the greatest disquietude at
these extraordinary proceedings.

"This is fine growing weather, Sir," remarked the Palaeotherium,
respectfully, as he came forward and stood by Dick beside the enormous
glove.

[Illustration: "'Is that it?' asked Dick."]

Dick laughed, and rather delighted in the evident impression which he
had made upon the creatures by his performance, and a moment after the
Dodo returned, looking about him eagerly in search of his lost
property.

"What's the matter?" inquired Dick, solicitously.

"Er--have any of you seen a white kid glove lying about?" said the Dodo,
anxiously.

"Is that it?" asked Dick, pointing to the enormous object lying at his
feet.

The Dodo gave a start.

"Er--er--oh--my!" he exclaimed. "I do